Lantern Nights
by ThanatosUpbringing
Summary: AU. About a blind, disowned and exiled Hinata, and her role in it. Some action, and some supernaturalism.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: No ownership of Naruto claimed. No money made from this. 

-  
Prologue.  
-

She was only 6 months old then, on that fateful day that changed everything.

At so young an age, merely a baby, not even a child, the grand patriach of the clan, her own blood grandfather, deemed she was not worthy, incompetent and a mockery to the clan's heritage of powerful ninjas. In cruel blood, she was to be killed, for the fortune teller saw no future in her, in the field of combat or war, and instead would bring ridicule to the proud Hyuga clan. The Hyugas, gave little mercy to weaklings.

When her mother, knew about what was to happen to her beloved child, she wept, with all her heart, and for days she lost her sleep. It was a painful blow to her frail heart, who grown so fond, of the little Hinata. The days she spent cuddling Hinata in her arms, watching her sleep, watching her smile and play around. It's been heaven for her since Hinata came to her life, and this... was akin to having heaven, and losing it.

She was her child. How could she let her own flesh and blood die so? She went to patriach, her father-in-law, and begged in all possible ways, through words, through tears, for some way for her to be saved, some way to spare the life of her little child that she loved so.

In the end, the patriach relented to the lady's plea, and decided to spare the girl's life, but she is to be blinded so the Byakugan cannot be stolen for those who seek the secrets of the mighty Hyuga, and no longer she will carry the Hyuga name, and exiled to somewhere far away.

-  
I.

She could hear the leaves rustling to the cold mountain winds, the soft whisper of the crystal-white streams as they flow down, as she walked up the mountain.

Under the caretaking of the Shinto priests, she grew up, and now she is a shrine maiden. Attending to the shrines and deities, has become a daily affair, despite her disability. Many who came, felt sorry for her, who, if not for her blindness, would have been a wonderful lady many would willingly welcome to their family.

The priests, who knew the truth, never told her who she really was, although she wondered, she never asked. To her, her life is now this.

One would expect bitterness, hate in one who has been blinded. But since it happened when she was too young to remember, in her heart there is only acceptance, that she is what she is, and in her heart she sincerely believed she was born blind.

However, the spirits, who often roam unnoticed around the mountain shrine, often took notice of the young maiden, who, despite her blindness, lead a life of virtue that many lacked in this war torn era.

II.

It was on a windy day, the time when the sakura leaves began to fall, and Hinata slowly made her way to one of the shrines outside of the main temple. It was a lone piece of rock, carved with etchings and phrases praising the goddess, Amaterasu.

She sat, and placed the bouquet of fresh flowers before the altar, knelt and prayed. It was something she did, once every month, a routine that she has been doing, to go and maintain the obscure and far-away altars and shrines that the other maidens do not want to go to.

'I've been watching you for very long, my dear...'

Yet she didn't hear it. Her heart and soul was with the prayer, that the voice was ignored.

When she finished her prayer, the voice came again. 'Child... '

This time, she heard it, and she replied softly. 'Who, is there?' She knew, if anyone wanted to hurt her, it would be very easy, so, she just stood unmoving.

'A friend.' And it, came close to her.

Hinata instantly felt something like the fur of a fox rub against her legs. She was instantly baffled, and wondered what she is encountering.

'Do not worry, my fair child. The kami do not hurt those who's heart is pure.'

'Kami?' She heard stories, she heard tales of the elders, but she never expected to ever encounter one. She wondered, inside what the kami would want from her.

'Tamamo is my name, my child, and you can call me so.' There was a short pause in between, and then it spoke again. 'And take a seat, child. It'll be quite a story to tell you.' Hinata, then sat on the ground, amongst the fallen sakura leaves.

'Story?'

'Yes, child. Have you heard, of the stories outside?'

'No... The elders do not impart such knowledge to me, but I have never really asked.'

'Then, I have even more to tell you. The world outside, that you exiled, is embroiled in war. People, are killing other people, for all reasons, and for no reason. And we, the kami, are sincerely disturbed. War, on war, over a long period of time, have made us kami, weaker and weaker.'

'You see, my dear child. We kami draw strength from true faith, faith, such as yours. Faith that we kami exist, makes us strong, and gives us our power to change the surroundings. Unfortunately, many have lost their faith, many have forgotten, and many kami, are dying because of it.'

'This mountain, is fortunate. Your constant tending of the shrines, many of which contains fragments of us kami's existence, continue to make us strong, and we in turn, return the favor preserving this mountain's beauty, this mountain's energy, and protect the animals here.'

'So, my dear child. You are what keeps us here, and you have done much for us. But we, have to ask a little more of you.'

Hinata was silent for a moment, then she asked. 'What, can I do?'

'Help the kami that are outside. Before everyone lose the faith, before they are destroyed. Save my brothers.'

'But... I am.. blind. And... I know nothing of the world outside.'

'Do not worry, my child. We will be your strength, we will be your guide.'

---

Another weird story from me. I already have a sci-fi evil Kakashi, a tragic NaruHina, an Orochi-Naruto, and an original-character. (the big long story don't count)

I know it's not everyone's taste, and some will get pissed. But if you do happen to like it, please do leave a review.


	2. Chapter 2

I'll be using the word, 'kami' very often. It means spirit, or something to that sort.

I. The road to the temple.

In hear mind, floated many questions, many unanswered. She wondered, whether to do as this... spirit or kami, tells her to. Should she believe this kami, and give up the life that she now has grown so used to? She pondered, she weighted, but she was merely a child, with a bare sense of reasoning, a minimal understanding of things, having grown up where the monks made so many decisions for her.

But, Tamamo, spoke again, as they slowly made their way back to the mountain-top temple.

'Do you want to live here, forever? Doing the same things over and over?' She, who took the form of a fox, was as sly and cunning with words as any fox should be. She tapped into Hinata's curiousity, Hinata's sense of wonder, to convince her. She knew, that she has grown, far too used to her life, and she has always wondered. All Tamamo needed to do, was make it seem, as if it was a chance given to her, to take leave and go out, and feel the world.

Tamamo knew, that she was a child, and she would be easy to sway, what more one who have seen so little. It was a little selfish of her, she knew that, and a little mean, to play such a trick, on the pure hearted Hinata. Yet, she swore inside she would never come to hurt, the one who have preserved her existence. She, despite her cunning and scheming mind, was not a human, who would turn their backs on their saviours.

Soon, Hinata reached a part of the mountain road, that had many sakura trees, and chairs for those who go up the hill, to rest. She came closer to one of the chairs, used the stick to tap around, and when she felt the chair with her hand, she sat down.

'I... am worried.'

'Why so, child?'

'Food, and shelter. How would I be safe from the people outside, who you say are waging war on each other?'

Tamamo smiled, and she knew, Hinata, while she is weak physically, her mind, is no easy prey.

'Worry not, my child. We kami, can always provide. We know where food is, we know where you can be safe, and seek shelter... And we will always know, when one encroaches on you.' Tamamo paused a while, and then rubbed her fur against her legs, a sign to show her reassurance. 'We kami may be spirits, but we also have the qualities of the form we take up.'

'...' Hinata pondered, a part of her breathed a sigh of relief.

Tamamo, knew Hinata will help her, it was only a matter of ironing out issues.

'Will it, not be weird for me to travel with an.. animal then?' She asked.

'Child, only those who are gifted, and only those we choose, can see us. The rest would know not of our ethereal existence.'

She smiled, and it seemed to glow on her white, pearly skin. 'So.. what am I to do now?'

'Find the head priest, and request your departure. And prepare provisions...'

'Erm.. how am I to know.. where to go after that?'

'I will be one with you. You will know, through me.'

II. A while later, somewhere along the road.

It was strange. It was.. unnerving.

To see through a spirit's eye, was akin, to experience your world, through works of art. What she, 'saw', was akin to an old watercolor painting from the old oriental dynasties. To coordinate, through it, was even more.. weird.

Every flower, every tree, was a work of art. Every mountain in the distance, looked like strokes of chinese ink, and the leaves, looked like swirls of reddish-pink. For one who has never seen, this, was a major shock. And she, loved it. It was beautiful, it was everything she saw, had a strange... poetic movement to it.

'Is this.. how normal people see?'

'No, child. The kami see the world, in ways mortal do not. We see them, not as what it is, but as what is should be.' Tamamo spoke.

It was also the first time Hinata saw Tamamo. She was a small, orangy fox, with beautiful streaks of pinkish red, and glistening brown eyes. To Hinata, Tamamo was the prettiest thing she has ever seen.

'Child, this.. sight I give you, doesn't last long. After a while, it will disappear.'

Instantly, Hinata felt sad, that this wondrous thing, would vanish.

'It needs your energy, so as long as you have chakra to spare, you will be able to use it.'

'Oh? What's this.. chakra?'

'I will explain, eventually. Now let's go talk to the head priest first.'

III. Temple Main Hall.

The head priest knew something was amiss, the moment Hinata was outside the door. Hinata, was not one to raise issues, nor was one to complain. She was the most obedient, and most obliging shrine maiden they have ever known. Nothing, has ever driven her to complain to any of the priest, despite even if the complain, was a valid one. Of course, that made the other shrine maidens take advantage of her, indirectly.

In fact, it felt like there was a sudden surge of cold wind in the room, and the moment she placed her foot in the room, all the candles went off.

'Good afternoon, sir.' She said, softly, and she took her seat, in the place where most visitors are expected to.

The head priest found it hard to reply, when his mind was bugged by so many possibilities. But he did manage to do so, albeit rather weakly. 'Morning, and what brings you here?'

'I... I'd.' Hinata had trouble making the demand, as she have made very few requests over the years, except for food and help. 'I'd... like to leave the temple.'

Instantly, the tea the head priest was drinking, splurted out, and he was baffled. How and why, would Hinata want to leave? In his mind, there was no possible reason why Hinata would want to leave, as she knew nothing of her heritage, and even if she did, she wouldn't care. It, came as the unlikeliest thing for her to ask, and it caught him totally unprepared. After a short while of being rather stunned by the request, he regained his composure.

'Why?'

Hinata didn't know what to answer, and she looked to Tamamo for help.

Suddenly, the head priest felt something touch his shoulder, and he turned back. What he saw, made him scream in surprise. It was a ten-limbed, 3 faced spirit, that bore resemblace to a deity in the shinto pantheon. Tamamo, it seemed, requested one of the kami that resided in the temple's midst, to help explain.

'This child, Hinata, has a task that she needs to do for us.' This kami said. 'She has a fate, that is outside this temple, and she has us with her, the kami's blessing.'

The head priest, had nothing to say. But after a little thinking and wondering, he said. 'But she is merely a child, how could she take care of herself?'

'The kami, will be with her, she will be safe.' The kami's voice was a booming, authoritative one, and it unnerved the head priest.

He swallowed his saliva, and then he told himself, 'I'm gonna have a lot of trouble explaining this to the other monks.' Then he looked at Hinata, and he said, 'Very well. Please do remember to take your supplies, and ... take care of yourself.'

Hinata nodded, and smiled. 'I will, sir.' She then bid her leave, and walked out. Tamamo, gave the kami a nod, and she then followed Hinata.

The head priest then turned and looked at the 10-handed kami. 'We've never seen you for a very long time...'

'You will see us more often, soon enough.' Then, the kami disappeared.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

If you wondered what Hinata's world is like, think Okami (the ps2 game). She looks at the world like that. Everything is made of brush-strokes.

Like it? Hope you do. 


	3. Chapter 3

Ergh! Big typo error in the previous chapter. Sorry. Didn't mean it. 

Well, granted it was based on Japanese culture slightly, but my first exposure to the concept of Kami was from Magic the gathering's Kamigawa block, so it's highly likely I'll be drawn to their intepretation. Yeah, I read on wikipedia's thing before writing too, but.. well, have to twist the stories a ltitle.

Many of the procedures, rituals etc will be my invention, though, for the sake of... storytelling.

I

Strange, and difficult to believe. The things she heard, the things Tamamo said, was all so difficult to comprehend, all, seemed akin to fairy tales the monks told, at night when she was a litle child. Everything, seemed so surreal, and she didn't understand why it could happen. But then, she did believe, after all, if she who was blind for so long could see, what in the world could be impossible?

It was a childlike willingness to believe, to have faith, and Tamamo found it, to a certain extent, beautiful.

Hinata, in the shrine maiden garb, took her steps slow, using the stick to guide her, despite being able to somewhat see with Tamamo's gift of sight. It was already something she was used to rely on, to depend on the stick to guide her, and it'll take a while for her to adapt.

As the leaves rustled when the wind blew, alternating between burst of cold air, and quiet pauses, Hinata, was wondering where, this road, this travel, will take her to.

'Tamamo-san. Where do we go, first?'

'The places where the marks of human destructive powers are greatest. The cities, the battlefields, the places where things are abandoned, and the places where the old are made to make way for the new.'

After a while, Hinata asked again.

'Why.. don't the kami fight back?'

'While do we prefer to exist in the world, we would not fight back. It is not in our nature to do so. We are a passive kind, child.'

'Oh...'

II.

Hinata didn't know what, she was looking for. Nor for that matter, how to go around helping these other spirits, as she, has no idea of what there is to do, and how she could help an entity that, by nature, is nature itself.

Reaching the first town, was a hell of a shock to her.

It was.. so.. noisy, filled with the defeaning roar of human voices all over things unknown to her. In such chaos, she wondered what she could find.

She knew there was a lot of people around ehr but she couldn't see any. She, as Tamamo's advice, chose not to use the kami vision, as to save her energy for certain things later. Though she wondered what these certain things are, she kept it down. Tamamo, soon led her to a quieter area of the town.

While the sounds diminished, it was replaced by a surging smell of waste that she has never felt before. It was... terrible. It had the smell of rotten eggs, thrash, and many others, and she couldn't help but tried to cover her noses.

She spoke, in a rather weird voice due to the fact that she covered her noses. 'Where are we?'

Tamamo gave a hearty laughter, and replied promptly. 'I'm taking you to an old temple abandoned in these areas.'

'How'd you know where to go?'

'I saw a map, and a notice, that the temple is going to be demolished soon. It was pasted on a wall a while back. So lay down your worry, child. I know where I'm going.'

'Tamamo-san... I wanted to ask...'

'Ask, child.'

'How... do I help the other kamis?'

'Well, varies from kami to kami, but the one we'll be meeting most likely draw it's strength from faith and prayers of those around it, like the one in your temple. And so, what you probably need to do, is to restore the faith, of those who once believed. Easier said, than done, child.'

'But the temple is getting destroyed...'

'That doesn't mean the altars and statues cannot be moved elsewhere, child.'

Hinata nodded, as she moved along, and in the distance she could here the faint hum of construction.

III. The old temple.

This was when she started using the kami vision.

She could see the old, dilapidated temple, and when she started to touch it's walls, she could feel the strange remorse, of facing destruction, signaled by the notice of vacancy and destruction pasted outside, and also the warning signs of no entry.

Tamamo seemed to share the tragedy, when she was near. 'Let's go, child. He's probably inside.'

When Hinata stepped into the main temple chamber, she could feel it shared the same serenity of her temple's chamber of the stars, where divinations were made.

She could see a single statue, on a single altar. It's paint has since then worn off, and some parts were damaged. Around it was broken plates, all left scattered. Tamamo gave a barely audible howl, and suddenly a spirit appeared, from inside that statue.

The spirit looked remininsce of the scholars of the past who devote their whole lives on the acquisition of knowledge, and he held a fan with paintings of bamboo on it.

'My existence was fading, yet now..Ah! The tricks fate plays on me, for me to have visitors on days before my deathbed.' He said, his voice old and forlorn.

Tamamo grinned, 'Not yet, friend. We're here to help.'

'And what, can a little girl, and a fellow kami, do to stop the tide of madness known as humanity?'

Tamamo laughed, 'Most amusing, friend. We're not here to stop them. We're here to take you away.'

'Flee? Scholars may not be warriors, but we do have honor.'

'Flee, is too harsh a phrase, friend. She needs a teacher, in things I cannot impart. You, seem like the perfect candidate. Taking you along with us, indirectly helps you escape your doom.'

'A teacher! Centuries has past since I last taught a human!'

'And I know you will find that ability still within you, friend.'

'Aye, a fox remains a fox. Cunning with words as always. But with the state I am in, I'm in no position to go with you, or teach anyone on the ways of knowledge.'

'That, can be fixed.'

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Well, that's it for now. The slowdown in posting was caused by... 6 hour classes per day. By the time I reached home I just went to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Time is limited. Tell me what to do. - 

Hinata's day began when a streak of lightning erupted across the stormy skies, followed by the loud roar of thunder that would even the deaf could hear. Dazed and still feeling a little sleepy, she yawned and wanted to go back to sleep, until Tamamo's voice interrupted her.

'Wake up, dear. There is much to do today.' Her soft, rather motherly voice coaxed her, while she rubbed her furry body at her leg.

'Ermm..' Hinata shook her head slightly, stretched her arms outwards and then pushed herself up with her hands from the floor covered with a small mat she brought along. It was not a comfortable sleep, and she thought of the soft cozy bed back at the temple.

Tamamo sensed her slight discomfort with the bed, and chuckled slightly. 'Slight headache, child?'

Hinata smiled, and although she has never seen how she looked when she smiled, she was always told to smile. It was a practice that soon became a habit, to smile at almost anything. 'Just a little... Not used to sleeping on the floor.' Hinata picked up her stick, placed just next to her, and soon asked when she heard the thunder and raindrops outside the abandoned temple, 'It's still raining outside, isn't it?'

'Yes.' Tamamo walked towards the scholar's statue and gave it a small bump with her nose.

'Can't you see I'm sleeping!' The scholar appeared, and asked, 'and what do you want from me on the day I'm going to die?'

'Enough rest. She'll be doing the unbinding ritual soon and I will have to guide her.' Tamamo glanced at Hinata, who was at the time, eating a piece of bread she bought from a nearby store the day before. 'She is untrained, and her chakra limited but her affinity to the spirits is strong.'

'Unbinding? You do know that you risk destroying me, right?' The scholar paused for a moment, 'but if you don't, I'm dead anyway.' Tamamo chuckled, and both of them approached Hinata.

Hinata could feel their presence as they approached, and glanced upwards, although she could not seem them. Tamamo was now closely linked to her, and the small pebble she asked her to attach to her necklace on the day they met was her housed Tamamo's spiritual 'home'. She knew, what Tamamo was going to ask of her, and in her mind she tried to recall all the things Tamamo told her on the unbinding ritual.

She was aware her powers are limited, and she has very little of the usual items she has for rituals and processions back home. The unbinding ritual would only be a very basic one, enough to ensure the spirit's knowledge and presence remains, but stripped of almost all the other powers he had prior.

It was a simple arrangement, a circle of various flowers she picked from the neaby park around the statue, and a little jade necklace next to the statue that will be the new spiritual home of the scholar. She spoke a rather short chant while touching the statue with her left hand and her other hand holding the necklace.

And then came the part Tamamo went to great lengths to warn and guide her. The ritual required her to use her body as a medium to transport the spirit from the original home to it's new home, during which, she'll experience great pain, see images that are warped, words that are twisted as a result of the spirit's experiences passing through her mind.

The fox knew it may be a very daunting challenge, as the evocative images of war, death and sorrow for one who has never seen such sadness. She will have to endure, and remain conscious, or else the ritual fails and the scholar will be destroyed inside her.

Hinata felt heavy. Her entire body felt like it weight a ton, and she was swamped by a surge of emotions, a sense of longing for belonging and worry of those in the past who has come forth to the spirit for guidance. She felt as if her fingers were in great pain, and she felt like the world was spinning around her.

She almost lift her hand, but Tamamo called out to her. 'Hinata.'

But it was not yet over for Hinata. She saw the images of a dead person, and a crying mother cursing all on why her son had to die. Hinata felt helpless, and it evokes memories of her own sense of helplessness. Her own experiences were soon pulled into the spiritual mess in her head, and it hurts.

She wanted to cry but she couldn't. She wanted to scream but she couldn't find the voice. She was filled with pain, her body wanted to collapse.

'Hinata.' 'Hinata'  
'Hinata.'

Her knees felt weak and she fell, but her hands kept holding on to both the statue and the necklace.

And suddenly... it stopped.  
The pain, the images, the voices.

'Hinata.'

Her mind was weak, and she had no energy to answer. She was going to fall unconscious soon. She knew it but had no willpower left to resist.

'It's over. The ritual is complete.' Tamamo's voice was warm and cheerful. It was the last thing she heard before she collapsed out of mental exhaustion.

-


End file.
